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Pristina Airport set for busiest winter season

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Pristina Airport is preparing for a busy winter season, which will see it handle more flights than ever before, following on from a record summer. A number of carriers have committed to increasing frequencies from the city when compared to last year. Among them are easyJet from Basel and Berlin. Edelweiss Air from Zurich, Adria Airways to Frankfurt, Pegasus Airlines from Istnabul, Wizz Air from London and Germania from Zurich. In addition, low cost carrier Wizz Air will expand its operations from Pristina with the introduction of three new routes. The airline will add three weekly flights from Memmingen starting October 30, from Basel on November 20 and Dortmund on December 15. "Underlining our dedication to the region, we look forward to continuing our fruitful partnership with Pristina Airport and remain committed to our customers and interests to create more low fare travel opportunities in Kosovo", Wizz Air's Communications Manager, Sorina Ratz, said.

On the other hand, Pristina's busiest carrier, Germania, will end its services to Paris and Copenhagen this winter season, however, these are to be compensated with the launch of flights to Hannover and Hamburg, which will commence at the start of the 2019 summer season. Pristina Airport handled a record 1.662.878 passengers during the first three quarters of the year, representing an increase of 13.3% on 2017. During the same period, the number of aircraft operations grew 9.7% to 12.118. In September alone, the airport welcomed 190.395 travellers through its doors, up 12.3%. It registered a total of 1.376 aircraft movements, an increase of 2.4%.

Month

PAX

Change (%)

JAN

144.137

▲ 17.3

FEB

123.565

▲ 14.1

MAR

150.432

▲ 19.2

APR

177.732

▲ 3.1

MAY

168.519

▲ 12.8

JUN

178.052

▲ 23.3

JUL

256.029

▲ 9.3

AUG

274.755

▲ 13.7

SEP

190.385

▲ 12.3

Pristina Airport recently begun work on the 33.6 million euro extension and upgrade of its runway. According to the project, the runway will be lengthened from the current 2.560 metres to 3.000 metres, while its ILS (instrument landing system) will be upgraded and taxiways extended. Due to the airport’s location and foggy weather in winter, it often experiences visibility issues which results in the diversion of flights. “We need to invest in the ILS and replace some of the equipment with the newest technology. The total investment is estimated to be around thirty million euros, which includes the extension of the runway and taxiways, and the purchase of new equipment”, Pristina Airport's General Manager, Haldun Firat Kokturk, said. The finances for the project will initially be provided by airport operator Limak, however, the government will then waive the concession fee for the next five years, between 2019 to 2023.

in the same way as INI routes affected SKP = almost zeroIts funny while you are all looking at SKP the ones that are really shaking are Air Prishtina and the other familia charters that are ripping off the Kosovars . They could implode

It is turning out into a big scandal. Also there was no tender to select the contractor and governnent is refusing to make the agreement public but parts have been leaked like the fact that they are going to allow them not to pay the concession fee.

All ex-YU airports are expanding and developing nicely but at the end of the day, like it or not, only BEG can sustain year-round service from a wide range of destinations. Airports across the region need to work on reducing seasonality especially if they want to compete with BEG for the market.

In my opinion, PRN will regain some passengers that were going from Kosovo and Metohija to SKP to catch a flight- that's a fact. Besides these two there are no serious alternative airports.

Next big battle will be in the triangle ZAG, BNX and TZL as they will battle for Slavonija and northern Republika Srpska. Naturally the biggest winners here will be the customers who will have access to really cheap fares.

The more competition the better as it forces crippling airlines like JP, OU and JU to be competitive and fight for their own spot under the sun. Same way PRN had to be creative in order to remain competitive compared to SKP.

Will be interesting to follow all of the developments in the coming months as the situation is changing rapidly.

I think OU made a huge mistake by not keeping Stockholm as two weekly given that FR is launching BNX-NYO. It means that those who live in that area will have to travel either to Tuzla or Banja Luka to catch a flight to Sweden. I am still shocked that Zagreb can't sustain year-round flights to Stockholm, the market can't be that small. Seems like ZAG didn't learn much from LJU getting Transavia which affected ZAG-AMS numbers.

They complained to the European Commission, which basically said they don't see an issue. PRN argues that SKP subsidies are unlawful because they come from the government, whereas the subsidies at PRN come from the airport operator.

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